Adopt a Tree
Adopt a tree near a classroom window or near the playground.
Take pictures of the tree during the different seasons.
Collect leaves from this tree during the different seasons.
Crayon rubbings are a great way to notice tiny marks on the leaves.
Bark rubbings are also fun.
Have story time and/or snack time under this tree occassionally.

Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Land Management and Education, in conjunction with the Illinois Natural Resources Information Network presents Kids For Treeshttp://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/chf/pub/tree_kit/

Way up high in the apple tree
Two little apples smiled at me.
I shook that tree as hard as I could.
Down came the apples, mmmmm they were good!

*****

Elm trees stretch and stretch so wide.(Put your arms up and make a big half circle as you stretch
them to the sides.)
Their branches reach out on every side.

Pine trees stretch and stretch so high.(Stand with feet together and hands together. Reach high
overhead with your arms straight.)
Their branches reach up to the sky.

Willow trees droop and droop so low.(Arms up and to the sides and then bend over and hang your
arms down, sweeping across the floor.)
Their branches touch the ground below.

*****

Apple Seed
Tune: Eensy Weensy Spider

Once a little apple seed
Was planted in the ground.
Down came the raindrops
Falling all around
Out came the bright sun
As bright as bright could be
and the little apple seed
Grew up to be an apple tree.

*****

Five Leaves

Five little leaves so bright and gay,
Were dancing about on a tree one day.
The wind came blowing through the town,
And one little leaf came tumbling down.
(Continue with 4 leaves, then 3, 2, and 1.)

Form a circle. Give each child 1 laminated red leaf and 1 laminated orange leaf with a long yarn stem tied on. For the first verse, hold one leaf in each hand raise the color leaf as you sing it.

The leaves on the trees turn orange and red
Orange and red, orange and red,
The leaves on the trees turn orange and red
All around the town.

Stand up for the next verse - still holding the leaves.
Make your leaves tumble to the floor without letting go of the yarn stem.

The leaves of the tree come tumbling down,
Tumbling down, tumbling down,
The leaves of the tree come tumbling down,
All around the town.

For this verse "swish" our leaves across the floor.

The leaves of the trees go "swish, swish, swish,"
"Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish,"
The leaves of the trees go "swish, swish, swish"
All around the town.

For this verse "gently" drop your leaves
into the middle of the circle and jump in place.

We'll rake them in a pile and jump right in!
Jump right in, Jump right in!
We'll rake them in a pile and jump right in!
All around the town.

*****

Ten Little Leaf Buds

Ten little leaf buds growing on a tree (fingers are buds)
Curled up as tightly as can be (curl fingers up into fists)
See them keeping snug and warm,
During the winters cold and storm. (snuggle fist under fist)
Now along comes windy March,
With his breath now soft, now harsh.
First he swings them roughly so (swing fists back and forth)
Then more gently to and fro (swing tenderly)
'Til the raindrops from the skies (stretch arms high, bring down to floor, tapping fingers as rain)
Falling pitter, patter-wise (repeat previous action)
Open wide the leaf bud's eyes. (arms outstretched, open fists and spread fingers at the word "eyes")

*****

My Oak Tree

The oak tree just outside my door
Has its lovely leaves no more,
And now, I wonder, What's it for?
Not shade, nor home for birds to sing.
When leaves return, I'll welcome Spring!

*****

Bare Tree Poem
shared by Melva in Saskatchewan

Outside the door the bare tree stands
and catches snowflakes in its hands
and holds them well and holds them high
until a puffing wind comes by

*****

Raccoon Sitting in a Tree
Tune: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"

Raccoon, raccoon, climbing a tree,
Wearing a mask, you can't fool me.
Hiding there so I can't see
What you're doing in that tree.
Raccoon, raccoon, climbing a tree,
Wearing a mask, you can't fool me.

*****

Raccoon
Tune: Kookaburra

Raccoon sleeps in a hollow tree
While the sun shines on you and me.
Sleep, raccoon.
Sleep, raccoon,
Warm and cozily.

In the darkest part of night
Raccoon has the best eyesight.
Look raccoon,
Look, raccoon,
My, your eyes are bright.

Raccoon hardly makes a sound
When he prowls all around.
Hunt raccoon,
Hunt raccoon,
Find food on the ground.

*****

Squirrels

Five little squirrels sitting in a tree.
The 1st one said, "What do I see?"
The 2nd one said, "Some nuts on the ground."
The 3rd one said, "Those are nuts that I found."
The 4th one said, "I'll beat you there."
The 5th one said, "all right, that's fair."
So they shook their tails and ran with glee!
To the nuts that lay at the foot of the tree!

*****

See the Squirrels
Tune: Frere Jacques

See the squirrels,
See the squirrels,
Climb the tree,
Climb the tree,
Hiding nuts for winter,
Hiding nuts for winter,
In the tree,
In the tree.

*****

The Wide Eyed Owl

There's a wide-eyed owl,
with a pointed nose,
with two pointed ears,
and claws for his toes.
He lives high in a tree.
When he looks at you
he flaps his wings,
and says, "Whoo, Whoo, Whoo."

G
There was a tree (there was a tree)
All in the wood (all in the wood)
The prettiest tree (the prettiest tree)
D7
That you ever did see (that you ever did see)
G
The tree in a hole and the hole in the ground
C
And the green grass grows all around, all around
G D7 G
The green grass grows all around

And on that tree (and on that tree)
There was a limb (there was a limb)
The prettiest limb (the prettiest limb)
That you ever did see (that you ever did see)
The limb on the tree, and the tree in a hole,
And the green grass grows all around, all around
The green grass grows all around.

And on that limb (and on that limb)
There was a branch (there was a branch)
The prettiest branch (the prettiest branch)
That you ever did see (that you ever did see)
The branch on the limb, and the limb on the tree,
And the tree in a hole,
And the green grass grows all around, all around
The green grass grows all around.

And on that branch (and on that branch)
There was a nest (there was a nest)
The prettiest nest (the prettiest nest)
That you ever did see (that you ever did see)
The nest on the branch, and the branch on the limb,
And the limb on the tree, and the tree in a hole,
And the green grass grows all around, all around
The green grass grows all around.

And in that nest (and in that nest)
There was an egg (there was an egg)
The prettiest egg (the prettiest egg)
That you ever did see (that you ever did see)
The egg in the nest, and the nest on the branch,
And the branch on the limb, and the limb on the tree,
And the tree in a hole,
And the green grass grows all around, all around
The green grass grows all around.

And in that egg (and in that egg)
There was a bird (there was a bird)
The prettiest bird (the prettiest bird)
That you ever did see (that you ever did see)
The bird in the egg, and the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the branch, and the branch on the limb,
And the limb on the tree, and the tree in a hole,
And the green grass grows all around, all around
The green grass grows all around.

And on that bird (and on that bird)
There was a wing (there was a wing)
The prettiest wing (the prettiest wing)
That you ever did see (that you ever did see)
The wing on the bird, and the bird in the egg,
And the egg in the nest, and the nest on the branch,
And the branch on the limb, and the limb on the tree,
And the tree in a hole,
And the green grass grows all around, all around
The green grass grows all around.

And on that wing (and on that wing)
There was a feather (there was a feather)
The prettiest feather (the prettiest feather)
That you ever did see (that you ever did see)
The feather on the wing, and the wing on the bird,
And the bird in the egg, and the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the branch, and the branch on the limb,
And the limb on the tree, and the tree in a hole,
And the green grass grows all around, all around
The green grass grows all around.

And on that feather (and on that feather)
There was a bug (there was a bug)
The prettiest bug (the prettiest bug)
That you ever did see (that you ever did see)
The bug on the feather, and the feather on the wing,
And the wing on the bird, and the bird in the egg,
And the egg in the nest, and the nest on the branch,
And the branch on the limb, and the limb on the tree,
And the tree in a hole,
And the green grass grows all around, all around
The green grass grows all around.

And on that bug (and on that bug)
There was a germ (there was a germ)
The prettiest germ (the prettiest germ)
That you ever did see (that you ever did see)
The germ on the bug, and the bug on the feather,
And the feather on the wing, and the wing on the bird,
And the bird in the egg, and the egg in the nest,
And the nest on the branch, and the branch on the limb,
And the limb on the tree, and the tree in a hole,
And the green grass grows all around, all around
The green grass grows all around.

Yes, the green grass grows all around, all around
The green grass grows all around!

*****

On Top of Spaghetti

On top of Spaghetti, all covered with cheese,
I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed.

It rolled off the table, and onto the floor,
And then my poor meatball rolled out of the door.

It rolled down the garden, and under a bush,
And then my poor meatball was nothing but mush!

The mush was as tasty, as tasty could be,
And then the next summer it grew into a tree.

The tree was all covered, all covered with moss,
And on it grew meatballs, all covered with sauce.

So if you have spaghetti, all covered with cheese,
Hold onto your meatball, 'cause someone might sneeze.

Tree Trunk Traffic is great for getting the children to think about how many animals rely on a tree for their home. When you are done reading it to the class, you can have the children make the creatures of their choice and then glue them to one big tree trunk you have prepared for the class.

A Tree Is Nice helps children appreciate the many uses we have for trees. When you are done reading that one to the class you can ask the children to draw themselves using a tree in one of the ways mentioned in the story.